Beijing: In a role reversal that threatened to break the Chinese internet, President Xi Jinping clicked 'like' on a news agency mobile app, recorded a voice message to the public, and sat in the anchor's chair of the country's most-watched primetime national news bulletin.

Mr Xi's brief dabble in journalism and social media came on Friday during a rare tour of China's three key mouthpieces, the official Xinhua News Agency, state broadcaster CCTV, and flagship newspaper People's Daily, where he rallied reporters and urged them to "tell China's stories, and transmit China's voice".

Propaganda offensive ... In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with staff members at the control room of China Central Television (CCTV) in Beijing on Friday. Photo: AP

Workers applaud as Chinese President Xi Jinping, centre, talks with editors in the general newsroom of the People's Daily in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua/AP

The frenzied reception from staff, wall-to-wall media coverage, and an overwhelming response on social media served to add to the sense of personality cult, and the man-of-the-people, strongman image he has sought to cultivate since coming to power three years ago.

CCTV's flagship evening news bulletin Xinwen Lianbo devoted close to 20 minutes of its half-hour programme to Mr Xi's whirlwind media tour. Photos of a greeting on an electronic screen, declaring "absolute loyalty" and that "CCTV's surname is the party", went viral online.

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Much of the online commentary on the broadcaster's social media account referred to how "cute" or "powerful" the president looked in the presenter's chair, while others expressed surprise they were allowed to comment at all. China's internet censors closely monitor political commentary and criticism of its party elite.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, left, poses with Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on January 27. Photo: AP

But as confidence wanes in China's management of a slowing economy, a lurching sharemarket and diplomatic tensions on multiple fronts, President Xi's unconventional visit is oiling the propaganda machine to retake the political narrative. In October, the Communist Party announced a new rule against "improper discussion" of government policies. Those who spread "rumours" on social media are liable to criminal punishment.

"Uphold, consolidate and strengthen mainstream public opinion," he told the assembled reporters on Friday. "Broadcast positivity and lead people to view China more objectively."

At a subsequent meeting with senior party and propaganda officials, Mr Xi stressed the importance of the party's leadership in "news and public opinion work" to increase the "influence and credibility" of the party's message.

China's journalists are subject to strict censorship and media outlets issued directives on what topics and news events are deemed taboo. It has the most journalists behind bars out of any nation and ranks 176th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

Broadcast positivity and lead people to view China more objectively.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

A sweeping crackdown on dissent has seen some of the country's more adventurous editors and investigative reporters disciplined or jailed, while the fervour with which state-run media outlets attribute coverage to Mr Xi rival even that of Mao Zedong in his prime. A report by the China Media Project at the University of Hong Kong found front-page mentions of President Xi in the People's Daily have far eclipsed those of his predecessors including Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.